Bottle-stopper.



T. W. CAMERON.

BOTTLE STOPPER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 1. 191a.

Arrorney.

Cameron Patented June 4, 1918.

2 SHEETSSHEET1 T. W. CAMERON.

BOTTLE STOPPER.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 7. 1916.

0Q F l 7 N m 4 n QM m 1 u n T m II Mu THOMAS WILLIAM CAMERON, 0F HOEA HORA VALLEY, WI-IANGAREI, NEW ZEALAND.

BOTTLE-STOPPER.

Patented June a, 11913.

Application filed July 7, 1916, Serial No. 107,971.

To all w hom it may concern Be it known that I, THOMAS WILLIAM CAMERON, a citizen of the Dominion of New Zealand, and residing at Hora Hora. Valley, Whangarei, in the Provincial District of Auckland, in the Dominion of New Zealand, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bottle-Stoppers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to bottle stoppers, and provides a construction whereby a stopper cannot be removed from a bottle without showing evidence of such removal, so that a person buying a bottle of liquid or the like may know that the contents are gen uine upon examining the fastening of the stopper to ascertain whether the fastening has been tampered with,

The invention consists in providing a bottle with a fastener so constructed that the bottle cannot be opened until the fastener has been tampered with. Such tampering may be the breakage or rotation of the fastener, and the tampering with or breakage of the fastener is evidence that the stopper has been removed. The stopper is made of glass, cork, or othersuitable material.

After the bottle has been opened, it is still serviceable as a bottle in the ordinary way.

The drawing herewith illustrates the invention, and will now be referred to for the purpose of a detailed description.

Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of one embodiment of the invention and shows the stopper in position.

and bottle neck showing another embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a fastener showing a modification.

Fig. 7 is an elevation of a bottle neck fitted with the fastener shown in Figs. 3 and 6.

Fig. 8 is a sectionalv elevation.

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of part of the neck, of a bottle showing another embodiment of the invention. i

Fig. 9 is a cross sectional elevation of a stopper and bottle neck showing another embodiment of the invention.

Fig. 10 is a sectional elevation, and

Fig. 11 is a plan of a modified form of fas- 1 tener.

. of Fig. 17.

' Fig. 19 is a sectional elevation of the neck of a bottle with a modified form of fastener.

Fig. 20 is a plan of the fastener.

Fig. 21 is a plan of the neck of the bottle.

Fig. 22 is a sectional elevation of the neck of a bottle and stopper.

Fig. 23 is a front elevation of the neck of a bottle and stopper with a modified form of fastener.

Fig. 2a is a plan of a stopper, and

Fig. 25 is a sectional elevation of the neck of a bottle and stopper with a further modified form of fastener.

Referring more particularly to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4:, the stopper 1, is made with a laterally projecting nib 2, adapted to enter a vertical groove 3 and a horizontal groove 4: forming an extension of the groove 3. This groove is formed in the interior of the neck 5 of a bottle, which when the stopper is made of glass or the like, is fitted with a cork washer or ferrule 6 resting upon a shoulder 7 formed in the neck of the bottle.

The stopper 1 has a head 8 consisting of a fiat disk, and the neck 5 has a flange 9 corresponding in diameter to the head 8. A fastener 10 is made of glass and has a horizontal member 11, adapted to lie upon the top of the head 8 and has another horizontal member 12 fitted with a spring 13 which is adapted to engage a recess 14 formed in the underside of the flange 9. The fastener also has a foot 1O which rests against the neck 5.

When the stopper 1 is in position as shown in Fig. 1 a tight joint is made with the washer 6 and the stopper is held therein by the engagement of the nib 2 in the horizontal groove 4. The stopper 1 cannot be withdrawn from the neck 5 without removing the fastener 10, and such removal cannot be effected without breaking the said fastener. The foot 10 insures that the fastener 10 must be broken before it can be removed.

A person buying a bottle of liquid would notice whether the fastener 10 was intact,

and if it was not found in that condition he would know that the bottle had been opened, or had been tampered with, since it left the merchant.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 5, 6, 7, the construction is similar to the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 with the exception of the fastener 15, which instead of being held by a spring is retained by the stud 16 which has an enlarged or roughened termination 17 The stud 16 is made stronger than the fastener 15, that is to say, the fastener will break before the stud can be broken.

The flange 18 is provided with a recess 19 having a narrow entrance 20. The recess is filled with plaster of Paris or the like. The stud 16 is inserted, and the plaster of Paris allowed to set around the termination 1 17. By adding glue the plaster of Paris sets more slowly, allowing ample time to fix the fastener in position. The word Not is inscribed upon the back of the fastener 15, and the word Opened is inscribed upon the flange 18 alongside the word Not.

The word Genuine is inscribed upon the neck of the bottle below the word Opened and the word Not is inscribed on the neck of the bottle in line with the word Gennine and is covered by the foot 21 of the fastener 15, so that before the bottle is opened the wording reads, Not opened, gennine and after the bottle has been opened, the wording reads Opened, not genuine.

; The words Not, Opened and Genuine are equally adapted for use on the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3.

Referring now more particularly to Figs. 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 13. The head 22 of the stopper 23 is made with a radial rib 24, and the neck 28 of the bottle is made with the corresponding groove 25. The said head also has a gap 26, and the neck or flange of the bottle has a recess 27. The fastener comprises a ferrule 01- ring 29 fitting freely upon the head 22, and the neck 28. The ferrule 29 is provided with inwardly andupwardly projecting springs 30 which are adapted to enter a circumferential groove 32 formed around the neck 28, and the said ferrule has another inwardly and upwardly projecting spring 33 adapted to be engaged by the recess 27 in the bottle neck or flange.

The ferrule 29 has a horizontal member 35 which extends over the head 22, and prevents the stopper from being withdrawn from the bottle.

In use the stopper 23 is inserted in the neck of the bottle and makes a water tight joint with the washer 6. The radial rib 24 lies in the groove 25 when the stopper is in position. The ferrule 29 is then placed upon the head 22, and the neck of the bottle, so that the member 35 is diametrically opposite to the gap 26 and spring 33 is diametrically opposite to recess 27 and so that the springs are engaged by the groove 32, and the spring 33 is depressed, and remains so depressed until the ferrule 29 is rotated and the said spring 33 is engaged by the recess 27. The spring being so engaged the ferrule cannot be returned to its original position, thereby giving evidence that it has been tampered with.

Swellings 30 are provided in the groove 32, and when the bottle is closed the springs 30 pass under the said swellings, which are so situated that a slight turn of the ferrule, not suflicient to disconnect the reading of the words Not opened, tightens the ferrule. In this condition the bottle leaves the merchant. To open the bottle the ferrule must be turned until the member registers. with the gap 26. The springs pass from under the swellings 30, and just before the member 35 registers with the gap 26, the spring 33 is engaged by the recess 27 in the bottle neck or flange.

The spring 33 is engaged by the recess 27 just before the horizontal member 35 registers with the gap 26. Sufiicient play is allowed the spring 33 in the recess 27 to allow the ferrule to be turned far enough for the member 35 to register with the gap 26. After re-inserting the stopper, the ferrule can be turned back the amount of play allowed to the spring 33 in recess 27 so that the member 35 will catch on the head of the stopper and retain it.

The ferrule 29 is inscribed with the word Not as shown in Fig. 14, and upon one side of the neck of the bottle the word Opened is inscribed, and upon the other side of the neck -of the bottle the word Genuine and the initials of the manufacturers or any other mark or description may be inscribed, so that before the fastener is tampered with, upon one side of the neck the wording will read Genuine and the signa ture or other mark or description, and upon the other side Not opened will be read. When however, the ferrule 29 is turned, through the half circle the reading will be, Opened, not genuine and the signature or other mark or description.

Figs. 16, 17, and 18 show a stopper having a sided stem 41 which fits a sided hole 42 in the neck 43 of a bottle. The fen rule 44 has upwardly and inwardly projecting springs 45 which engage a circumferential groove 46, formed in the neck 43, and this neck may have swellings similar to the swellings 30*. Another inwardly and up wardly projecting spring 47 is provided upon the inside of ferrule 44, and this said spring is adapted to be engaged by a recess 48 formed in the neck of the bottle.

The stopper 40 has a vertical groove leading into a horizontal groove 51 formed partially around the stopper 40. Another spring 52 is provided upbn the interior of the ferrule H. In use the sided stem 41 is passed into the sided hole 42 and the spring 52 is depressed by the beveled shoulder 50 and passes into the groove 51. The stopper cannot be withdrawn until the spring 52 registers with the vertical groove 50.

The above registration of the spring with the groove takes place by the rotation of the ferrule 44, the spring 47 is engaged by the recess 48. The spring has sufficient play in the recess 48 to allow the ferrule to be turned a little farther forward to release the stop- {per although the ferrule is still locked to read Not genuine. On reinserting the stopper, the turning back of the ferrule to the extent of the play allowed to the spring 47 in the recess 48, suffices to hold the stopper in position.

The fastener shown in Figs. 19 and 20 comprises a disk 55 with integral lugs 56 located on diametrically opposite sides of the disk. Springs 57 project inwardly and upwardly from the lugs 56. The neck 58 of the bottle has a flange 59 wherein recesses 60 are formed to receive the lugs 56, and other recesses 61 forming extensions of the lower part of the recesses 60 are adapted to receive the springs 57. After the stopper 62 has been inserted in the neck of the bottle, the fastener is secured by passing the lu s 56 into the recesses 60 until the springs 5 are engaged by the recesses 61. The stopper 62 cannot then be removed without breaking the fastener.

The fastener illustrated in Figs. 22 and 23 consists of a stud or lug 63 made integral with the flange 6-1 of the neck 65. The stud has grooves 66 to reduce its strength and so that it may be readily broken at this part. The stopper 67 has a gap 68 to receive the stud 63. A spring 69 fixed to the stopper 67 is adapted to engage a shoulder 70 formed in the stud 63 below the level of the top of the stopper.

The word Not is inscribed on the stud 63 and the word Opened is inscribed on the flange 64 below the word Not.

In Fig. 25 the stud 63 is cemented in a recess 71, the stud having an enlarged foot 7 2 and the recess having anarrow opening 73.

To open the bottle a slight blow is given to the stud 63 which readily breaks at the grooves 66 thereby liberating the spring 69 and leaving the stopper free to be extracted.

Before the stud is removed the wording reads Not opened and after the stud has been removed the wording reads Opened.

The stoppers, bottles and ferrules or clasps may be numbered alike to prevent fraud being effected by removing a ferrule or clasp from one bottle and using it upon another bottle.

What I do claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. The combination with a bottle neck provided with verbal means to indicate one condition of the bottle, when the bottle has been disturbed and for assisting in indicating a different condition when the bottle has not been disturbed, a stopper, and stopper locking means incapable of returning to its original position when once disturbed and provided with verbal means co6perating with the first named verbal means to indicate one condition of the bottle when the parts are in their original position.

2. The combination with a bottle neck provided with verbal means to assist in indicating one condition of the bottle when the contents are original and for indicating a different condition when the bottle has been tampered with, a stopper, and stopper looking means rotatably mounted on the neck of the bottle and incapable of returning to its original position after having been moved to open position, said locking means being provided with verbal means coijperating with the first named verbal means to indicate one condition of the bottle when the parts are in original position. v

3. The combination with a bottle neck having a recess, of a member rotatably mounted on said neck, a stopper, and a looking resilient member carried by the rotatable member and adapted to enter said recess when the rotatable member has been moved to a position to permit the opening of the bottle.

4. The combination with a bottle neck having a recess and a circumferential groove, of a member rotatably mounted on said bot tle neck and provided with a locking lug, a stopper for closing said bottle having a peripheral groove adapted to register with said locking lug to permit the removal of the stopper, means for preventing the turning of the stopper in the neck, means cotiperating with the circumferential groove to prevent withdrawal of the rotatable member and a resilient member carried by said rotatable member adapted to enter said recess when the lug registers with said eripheral groove for preventing the rotatab e member being returned to the original position.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS WILLIAM CAMERON.

Witnesses:

JAMES T. BISHOP, O. W. CARVER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, 1). 0. 

